AY - 2) Cloudburst – The Aftermath
by Cpt. Kallan Beyda
Summary: Set in the Academy Years Universe. Dylan, in control of TB-4 arrives back at Arcology. Commander Simpson uncovers a link between his newest Thunderbird Captains. Although Kallan's safe, is her career after her superior officers' discovery.


'What,' Dr Deegan eyed the young woman on the medical hoverbed as she entered the hospital receiving bay, her friend and teammate by her side, 'have you done this time Captain James.'

'At a rough guess,' Dylan answered before Kallan could get a word in edge wise, 'the same as the last time I brought her to see you.'

Pushing the young man out of the way, the doctor stated, 'I'm going to ignore the make shift splint for the moment.' John Deegan took a pen torch from his pocket testing his patients' eyes for a reaction. 'I'm more worried about this head injury. At the very least you'll need the skin glued back together so you don't have a lasting reminder of this mission. I need to assess you before we administer any analgesia. It might mask a more serious injury.'

'I lost control of TB-13,' Kallan explained, not moving as the doctor continued his examination of her wound. 'The current swept me into the ocean floor and the vehicle became impaled on a rocky outcrop. The impact threw me out of my seat into the environmental console.'

'Did you black out at any point,' John asked testing her neurological reactions.

'Yes,' Kallan confirmed, 'I took the worst of the impact on my shoulder before hitting my temple on a bulkhead. I remember the pain lancing up my arm and exploding in my head. That's went I lost consciousness.'

'How long,' he asked, 'do you think?'

'Not more than five minutes,' Captain James returned, 'when I came too, the emergency backups had just kicked in and the scrubbers were off line. It took me almost twenty minutes to get the pain under control and initiate the emergency beacon. If Dylan hadn't rescued me, TB-13 would have been out of power and air within five minutes.'

John finished his cursory exam. 'I don't think you have a brain injury, but we'll do a full medical once you've had something for the pain and we've stabilised that arm a little better. If it's broken, as we all suspect, I'll send in a nurse to make a lightweight splint. That should ease the discomfort and allow you some movement.'

'I'm going to be off the roster,' Kallan sighed.

'Afraid so,' John tried to lighten the mood with a smile. 'At least you'll get a well-earned vacation.'

'Thanks,' Kallan called with more than a little sarcasm as Dr Deegan walked towards his office to write up her treatment schedule, 'but I only started this job five weeks ago.'

'Well,' Commander Greg Simpson made the single word a question.

Watching from the one way window in the doctor's office, he'd arrived after ensuring the rest of his team made their rondevu with TB 6. In an hour the weather satellite causing the tsunami would be operational and the chance of another freak storm minimal. Then his team could stand down. However the single casualty from this rescue operation worried him. Raising a white eyebrow highlighted a need for a constructive and encouraging answer from the doctor who'd just joined him.

'The good news,' Dr John Deegan reported, watching the young woman being fitted for a splint through the observation window, 'Captain James contusions will heal quickly and don't hide a head injury. She self-reported a loss of consciousness which will necessitate a night in the infirmary for observation. However I don't suspect a concussion. I believe the intensity of her pain caused the temporary blackout. It must have been some storm for Kallan to lose control of TB -13. I know how hard she trained while at the academy.'

'Yes,' Simpson agreed. Standing with his hands behind his back, he offered, 'I'm intimately acquainted with my team and their previous history, especially their prior medical complaints. I'd be lying if I said this injury, so early in her career didn't concern me.'

Each member of the Thunderbird squad signed a medical waiver, allowing complete access to their records. They'd been scrutinised due to the dangerous nature of the work. Until today, Simpson hadn't needed to see a complete copy of Kallan's file. He'd relied on a synopsis provided by Dr Deegan. Yet the Commander knew a second injury to the same body part would spell the end of his young captain's career.

'We ran Captain James through the medi-scaner once we treated her pain,' John sighed. He needed to be very careful. There were aspects of Kallan's academy notes he'd personally made which could prove embarrassing. He'd judiciously and deliberately left them out of any official documents. 'It determined the fracture in her Humerus well above the old site which healed completely. This injury didn't impact on the previous incident which should have been the weakest point. I'd expected the break to be in the same place. I'm afraid the arm needs a splint for at least four weeks.'

'Taking a female into the most élite squad in the IRO ruffled some feathers,' The Commander growled. For his part it had been a good decision and he didn't want to lose Kallan on a technicality. 'Four weeks off the roster will give ammunition in some quarters.'

John sighed as he opened Kallan's medical file, trying to circumnavigate any incriminating documentation. 'As with her last injury,' he pointed out, 'then Cadet James returned to her studies within a week. I suggest a week's rest followed by light duties for another three. She'd be an asset to the Academy teaching staff if you could spare her.'

'I'll take that under consideration,' Simpson stated.

'I'll recall Captain James for another full medical before allowing her to return to active duty,' John informed hoping to close the case. He didn't get that lucky.

Nodding Greg picked up the data pad and began to scan the document before him. Encountering test results, he asked with a note of surprise, 'this was necessary?'

'I believe it relieved a young girls fear,' Dr Deegan's icy tone told the commander to leave it alone, 'even though I assured her it wasn't an issue.'

Simpson grunted using the noise to inform the doctor anything about one of his people became his concern. Reading more carefully, he flicked back to the start of Kallan's academy medical file. His eyes lit on an accepted procedure amongst the female population. It explained a lot in his mind, linking facts he'd only suspected.

'One month,' he muttered under his breath, 'I hadn't expected that.'

'Nor I,' John agreed, deciding to tell Simpson the entire story. It might help Simpson understand the lengths some people would go too in order to be selected for his team. 'It concerned me at the time. Kallan's father and I met during our residency. I knew how the family would take the news. It proved to be a well thought out and advantageous choice.'

'I can see that,' Greg smiled as he noted a male cadet's blood results hidden in the document. 'I hadn't realised the association went this far back.'

'Almost from the first days at the academy,' John allowed a smile realising the man beside him didn't object to the liaison, 'there were inseparable. Not many understood the depth or intimate nature of relationship. They were very discreet.'

'Question is,' Commander Simpson dropped the data pad onto the desk, watching Dylan talking to Kallan in the treatment area, 'are they still being discreet.'

'Is it important?' John asked, unsure he could give an accurate answer if asked.

'Only if she needs another test,' Greg let the doctor know the political pressure including a female into his élite team cost, 'and it proves positive. It would open a can of worms I'm not willing to touch. Maternity leave might be a right under Federation Law. I don't want to cope with the ramifications so soon after selecting this current team.'

'I believe,' John managed a slight chuckle, 'that won't be an issue. Kallan requested a new implant when we administered the pain medications.'

'Good,' The Commander threw over his shoulder, approaching the door into the treatment room. 'This is to go no further. I don't need the speculation with Kallan off the team for the next month.'

John watched the interaction between the three when the technician exited the room. He noticed the body language between Dylan and Kallan. It took him back five years to the day Dylan carried his friend into an almost identical room. They'd both been slightly shocked and relieved when he'd reassured them Kallan's implant still functioned in spite of her fractured arm.

'I've read your medical file,' Simpson decided not to beat about the bush. 'Is there still a relationship between the two of you?'

'Sir,' they answered in unison after a moment's silent communication. Taking the lead, Dylan clarified, 'not in the way you're insinuating.'

'All right then,' Simpson forced a grim expression onto his face. Needing to convey the precarious position an intimate relationship would place them all in, The Commander ordered, 'you'll let me know the moment here is any change?'

'Sir,' Kallan glanced at Dylan.

'I can't afford the political fallout if something of the sort became public knowledge,' Greg glared at the pair. 'I had to fight to secure the both of you for the main mission team and bypass years waiting in the back up program. Your remarkable display of leadership at JemoIsland and then the way you impressed Don with your abilities in the TB-1 simulator, drew my attention years ago. Don't let me down. You've both come a long way since then.'

'Sir, that part of our lives ended but if it changes, you'll be the first to know,' Dylan promised for both of them. However he knew the past lay behind them and the likely hood of an intimate relationship reoccurring between himself and Kallan could only be described as minimal.

After Simpson left, Kallan asked, 'why?'

'Sweetheart,' Dylan sat beside his friend using the endearment sarcastically, 'if it eases Commander Simpson's mind and allows you to stay on the team, I'd agree to almost anything. You've worked just as hard as me to get here. I'm not going to let our past relationship get in the way of you remaining the first female Thunderbird Captain. Besides, apart from the last five weeks, I've barely seen you since leaving my posting on TB-6. I like having a friend around.'

'You're not going to get rid of me that easily, Hotshot,' she fired back. 'You'd better get back to headquarters and make your report. Besides, if weather control can't get that satellite back in orbit, you might need to go out again. You're the only one with enough training to handle my baby.'

Lifting his hand in the air with a wide grin, Dylan offered, 'firm, gentle hands.'

'You got it,' she winked back, remembering a time when it had been Dylan's firm gentle hands managing her. Before he made it out the door, she called, 'you going to Bill and Danielle's wedding next month?'

'Got the invitation yesterday,' he allowed a rare grin to cover his lips, 'want to accompany me. We haven't danced together in a while.'

'Asking me out, Hotshot,' Kallan teased with a saucy wink reminding them of their academy days. She'd always flirted, Dylan rarely reacting to her taunts.

'In your dream's sweetheart,' he fired over his shoulder, leaving her alone to report to his duty station.


End file.
